The Sun. — London, England, 1838-02-20 00:00:00

FREEMEN AND ELECTORS' BILL. The Order of the Day was then read for the third reading of the Parliamentary Freemen and Electors' Bill. On the question being put that the Bill be read a third time— Mr. BLAKE said that upon a former occasion he had re ceived an assurance from the Right Hon. Chancellor of the Exchequer that that part of the Bill which related to England would be extended to Ireland—that bad not yet been done, and he wished some explanation of the matter before the Bill went further. Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that a separate measure would be introduced in regard to Ireland. Mr. BLAKE said that if he could obtain the assurance of ber Majesty's Government that a Bill of that sort would meet with their support, he should offer no opposition to the pre- Beat Bill. Mr. MACLEAN then rose to oppose the further progress of the Bill, but in consequence of the loud conversational buzzing in the House, it was with difficulty we could hear a single sentence the Honourable Member uttered. He objected to the Bill, because it was the commencement of a series of changes which would induce the people to be lieve that the Noble Lord (J. Russell) was " infirm of pur pose," and that he was very much disposed to yield, on a little more pressing, the question of the Ballot, which he had at the beginning of the Session so strenuously protested against. Sir R. PEEL wished to leave on record his objection to this Bill which was founded mainly on this ground— that he considered it the first step towards the alteration of the principle of what he had ever been induced to regard as a final settlement of the political fran chise. It was quite consistent that those who had opposed the Reform Bill should, when it had become law of the land, be pre pared to advocate its provisions. He was not more enamoured of the Bill at the present time than he had been when it was first brought forward. But he was as ready as any of its most determined supporters to defend its provisions. He saw greater evil in re-agitating the question than he should like to have upon his head. There were three great prin ciples established by the Reform Bill with respect to the pecuniary competency of the voter, which they had a right to expect would remain in force ; and he was surprised to find that a proposition to abolish one of these tests (with respect to the payment of rates)l should have emanated from the Noble Lord, the author cf the Reform Bill.— ( Opposition cheers.) The principle of paying rates and taxes when due was a good one, which he should be sorry to see abolished. Why could not a notice be issued in April, that the rates were to be paid by the 20th of July, and the voters could then ascertain where the amount was to be received ? The Noble Lord now proposed to give six months additional time to the voter, and he thought nothing could be more impolitic. The House-tax had been repealed in 1834, and that materially altered the position of the voter. If the Window-tax was abolished (half of it having been already repealed) there would be no assessed taxes by which the eligibility of the voter could be ascertained. The total amount of the Poor-rates in 1838 were little more than half what they were a very few years ago— and thus every day the pecuniary tests of the qualification of voters were diminishing. On these grounds he objected to the present measure—he thought it would effect a most im portant and injurious change in the position of Parliamentary elections, and he should, therefore, gave his decided opposi tion to the Bill.—( Cheers.) Lord J. RUSSELL asked, had not the other side of the House agreed to alterations in the Reform Bill ?—( Hear.) One was as to the time of election, which was changed from two days to one. Another alteration was in the number of polling places.—( Hear, hear, hear.) But there was another and more recent alteration. It was a part of that Bill that a shilling should be paid.—( Cheers.) The question was, whether the present alteration was one proper to be adopted, which would not alter the principle of the measure? He contended that a voter ought to have paid all the rates and taxes. But did this Bill take away that protection ? On the contrary, the principle was preserved ; but the vexation and inconvenience were rendered as light as possible.—( Hear, hear.) He did not believe, that even if this Bill were carried, there would not be others in which cer tain provisions of the Reform Bill would be modified. Was it to be supposed that the Act passed in 1832 was so complete that no alteration or improvement could be made in it? It was not to be expected, and such alterations ought to be made as from time to time were considered necessary. Mr. G OUL BURN was glad to hear from the Noble Lord the admission that the test of solvency was the payment of the Queen's taxes. lie was ready to admit that this was a tole rably fair test while they were paid up to the sth of April; but if they threw it back to the previous 11th of October there would be no obligation for the tenant to pay any taxes last ac cruing, and the test would be lost. The Poor-rates pre sented another test, which, under the Noble Lord's changes, would be lost, or would only form another source of difficulty, being seldom paid before Michaelmas. If the Noble Lord persevered in his alterations and tamperings with the substan tial protections provided in the Reform Bill, he might still indeed have what he called 101. voters, but he would loose the means of testing and ascertaining them to be such by the pay ment of the Queen's taxes and Poor-rates. He foresaw that the Bill would lead to the total abolition of taxation as a test of the solvency of electors. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that the Bill was really intended for the protection of those who had not been able to pay up their taxes to the period (the sth or April) indispensable on their first registration. As to the stamp, it was a part of the Reform Bill that freemen should have votes on obtaining a document which involved the pay ment of a stamp duty, but the whole system being altered, it was necessary, for the sake of consistency, to alter this por tion t oo . When the Member for Galway applied to him last Session for the repeal of the Stamp duty now paid by free men in Ireland, he had assented at the time, but he was now informed by the Attorney-General for Ireland, that the amend ments and provisions for that purpose would run to such a great length that he (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) did not think it advisable to introduce them in the present Bill. However, somebody, on the part of Government, would be proposed at a future time, to bring in a Bill for the repeal of that parti cular duty. Colonel SIBTHORP looked on the Bill as one of incon sistency and injustice. The Noble Lord had said that he (Colonel Sibthorp) forgot what had fallen from him on a pre vious occasion, but it would be surprising if be (Colonel Sib thorp) recollected half what had fallen from the Noble Lord, for he had introduced so many Bills—inconsistent, contradic tory, and mysterious—that nobody knew what he would be at. --( Laughter.) The present measure was one of those hor rible Ministerial tricks—( A laugh)—those underhand Whig measures—(Laughter)—with which the Noble Lord had ren dered them familiar. He should oppose it to all eternity but for the certain protection afforded to the country by the Upper House. He begged to be understood that in voting against the Bill he did not wish to oppose the repeal of the stamp duty • now paid by freemen, but he made it a point to oppose every thing brought in by the present corrupt Government.— ( Cheers and laughter.) Sir W. FOLLETT, for one, would vote against the Bill, not because it repealed the freemen's stamp duty, but because it introduced the subject of that repeal in such an underhand manner as if it were a boon, or a bribe to permit the alteration of the franchise established by the Reform Hear.) The Reform Bill conferred no benefit on the freemen, for the - ---.... franchis e — was secured to him. He had already his vote, and had already paid the stamp.---( Hear.) He subsequently had all his old rights secured to him by the Municipal Corporation Bill ; yet now they heard it asserted that they could not re lieve the freemen from the stamp duty without also altering the 101. franchise—as if the two part;es stood in similar cir cumstances—creatures of the Reform Bill. The House then divided, and there appeared— Ayes Noes Majority for the third reading -17 The Banking Copartncry Bill was brought up, and after a few alterations sent back to the Lords. The House then (at seven o'clock) went into Committee on POOR LAWS FOR IRELAND. Clause 31 was read, and, after some observations from Mr. Shaw, and Lords Clements, Morpeth, and John Russell, the clause, after a few verbal amendments, was agreed to. Clauses 32 and 33 were agreed to. Clause 34 was also agreed to. On clause 35 being rut, which related to the building of workhouses by the Commissioners, Sir R. FERGUSON proposed an amendment, of which he had given notice, viz., to omit the words " from time to time," and to insert the folloning:—" At any time previous to the first election of any board of Guardians in any Union." It was his intention also to propose a clause similar to that in the English Poor Law Amendment Act, requiring the sanc tion of one-half of the Board of Guardians to any addition to the workhouse. Lord MO RPETH consented to the first part of the Hon. ' Baronet's proposition, but expressed his intention of opposing the second. After a short discussion, the amendment was withdrawn. Mr. SHAW said that the present was, perhaps, the most Convenient moment for him to move the insertion of a provi sion---" Limiting the relief to be provided to the necessary relief of the lame, impotent, old, blind, and such others as Were destitute and unable to work." The admission of such tt principle, would have a material effect on the general work ing of the measure. According to the statements of the Poor.law Inquiry Commissioners in Ireland, there were not fewer than two millions of persons destitute in that country, during certain seasons of the year; and a measure which only Provided for the relief of 80,000 in workhouses, was quite in adequate to the relief of the destitute population. Under Ibis part of the Bill it was impossible to give relief to the able bodied destitute, and it was worse than useless to delude those classes with any prospect that they would be relieved. What be proposed was that a provision should be made for the sick, the aged, and the infirm; but while he limited the illeasure to this object he did not mean to say that he would not provide for the able-bodied, or those capable of labour. On the contrary, he meant that the able-bodied should be Provided for, but in a way that would have no reference to Poor-laws. He might be asked how he would get rid of the difficulty of discriminating between the two classes, and he would answer the question by saying that he would obviate it by adopting their own test of in-door relief, and investing t he guardians with a discretionary power in certain cases On no account would he permit out-door relief. He would r ender it imperative on all persons seeking the benefit of the P oor-laws to place themselves in the asylum provided for the Poor, for be would not call it a workhouse ; and if those who w ere at all capable of labour were obliged to work in some ha cor another, he thought that by these means they would 'aye a test of destitution which would enable the Guardians to discriminate without difficulty between those who were de serving of relief and those who were not. What he wanted Was, not to hold out a delusion to the people which could never be realised. If they did not confine their mea sure within proper limits they would soon find, when anything like pressure occurred, from either the ab sence of employment or the failing of crops, that their work. houses would be filled ; and, in such a case, he should like to know what would be said to an able-bodied labourer, who, on applying for admission, told the Guardians that he was able to work but could get no employment ? There were other important qtiestions connected with this measure which must have a strong bearing upon the point to which he adverted. The law of settlement, for instance, was one. Limiting relit f to a certain class of the description which he had mentioned would, he was satisfied, relieve the measure of much difficulty, and therefore he hoped the Committee would agree to his amendment. Lord MORPETH hoped that the Committee would not adopt the amendment of the Right Hon. and Learned Gen tleman, but that they would adhere to the Bill as it stood. If the distinction which the Right Hon. and Learned Gentle. man wished to introduce were made it would lead to continual warfare, and the difficulty of deciding who were aged or im potent, or sick would be endless. It could not be doubted that a man who, though 70 years of age, was in robust health, might be less entitled to relief than a broken down labourer of 40 or 50. Suppose a man or woman to be capable of work, but from inability to obtain employment was unable to procure a morsel of food to stay the cravings of hunger, would it be contended that such a party was not a fit object for relief? He thought it could not, and in the case of children the claim would be tenfold stronger. In confirma tion of this the Noble Lord read a passage from a speech made by a Clergyman at a public meeting in Waterford, describ ing the sufferings of a destitute mother and child who had pe rished from cold and hunger in an empty house in which the poor woman had sought shelter for herself and infant from the inclemency of the weather. Now, surely no one would say that such cases as this would not properly come within the pro visions of poor-laws, and yet if they were to adopt the defini tion of the Right Hon. and Learned Gentleman it might t urn out that an individual placed ,in the extremity of this poor woman would not be entitled to relief, because she was a per son not incapable of work. One of the benefits which he ex pected would result from this Bill was that able-bodied la bourers would no longer consider themselves as outcasts, or persons for whose destitution no one cared. If restrictions and changes should hereafter become necessary or advisable, the safer way would be to make the alterations as the necessity for them occurred. But at present the workhouse check seemed to him to be sufficient for all that was required with out encumbering it wills other restricticne Colonel CONOLLY was prepared to go the length to which the amendment of Isis Right Hon. and Learned Friend intended. He was, however, by no means opposed to the principle of the Bill, but he should rather see a provision made for the able-bodied labourers of Ireland by affording them the means of emigration or employment in useful public works than by any system of poor-laws that could be adopted. Lord CLEMENTS was obliged to thc Government for the facilities for emigration which they had introduced, although he by no means agreed that they would have been justified in proposing emigration on a large scale. Mr. BARRON said that the objection of the Right Hon. Gentlemen opposite seemed to be grounded upon the alarm likely to be excited amongst the Irish landlords by the too great number of persons that were to be relieved. Oae of the objections urged was that the workhouses would overflow with the number of those seeking for relief. Now, he be lieved that, on the contrary, there would be no necessity to create any restriction on that score, as his countrymen were particularly averse to confinement, and that aversion would, to a great extent, prevent any applications for relief unless in cases of extreme destitution. He would prefer giving to the Board of Guardians the flo latitude to exercise humanity in the proper sense, and he thought that, in this respect, they ought not to be restricted. Mr. WRIGHTSON said that there were important consi derations connected with the present measure. At the least, they would have to support not less than 100,000, and at the lowest calculation, they could not support these at less than 51. per head per annum ; this would make 500,0001. per annum. Then they had the expense they would incur in erecting workhouses, in the salaries of officers, and, including the interest on the necessary outlay in erect ing workhouses, they would have a permanent charge of 70,0001. per annum. It appeared that the landed income of Ireland did nut exceed six millions, and thus by this mea sure they would create a tax upon the property of Ireland of at least 10 per cent. He thought that this was a reason to create alarm amongst the landlords, unless they saw something like a certainty before they embarked in such a measure as this. There was also another consideration, that this plan of giving relief to the able bodied would have the effect of re ducing the wages of labour. In England the effect of refus ing relief< to the able-bodied was to raise the wages of labour. It was a mistake to suppose that by this Bill they were about to create funds. The whole effect of the measure was to dis tribute and not to create funds. The Hon. Member hero went into a calculation to show the effect the proposed plan would have in diminishing the wages of labour. He thought that with respect to the proposed plan they were proceeding altogether upon a mistaken view of the powers of legislation. In Mr. Nicholl's report it was stated as a principle that the property of a district should find means for the relief of the poverty or destitution of that district. Now he did not see how that principle could be followed out. Let them, for in stance, apply that principle to the estate of Mr. Martin in ('onnemara, or to the property of Sir R. O'Donnell in the Isles of Arran, and they would test it fallacy, for the destitu tion (as we understood the 1-lon. Member) would totally al.) sorb the property of these districts. Let them test the prin ciple even by the whole country. The population of Ireland was eight millions—the rental was six millions. Now if this principle was to be followed out the whole rental would riot give more than a very insignificant trifle to each individual.— ( Hear, hear.) He highly approved of the amendment pro posed by the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite, and would give it his hearty support.—( Cheers. ) Mr. LUCAS could not support the amendment of his Right Hon. Friend unless he was prepared to go against the principle on which the present Bill rested. The Bill con tained two principles—that of affording relief to the destitute, and of providing against relief from any other sources to those who were relieved under this Act. The proposed Bill wen t to declare that it would not suffer mendicancy, therefore under this Act the poor would be precluded from all as sistance whatever but that which was to be given them un der its provisions, or that which they could procure from their labour. He understood the first principle of this Bill to be the just, and noble, and humane principle, that in no case whatever was destitution to be permitted to end in death. But they applied no distinction to enable the able-bodied who could not obtain assistance by other means to obtain relief under this Act. He thought that there was a distinction to be made between relief to be able-bodied generally and re lief in cases of destitution. He thought the Hon. Gen tleman was on the horns of a dilemma—he must either ap prove of giving relief to the able-bodied labourer, or give a discretionary power to the guardians. He, therefore, could not concur in the amendment of his Right Hon. Friend. He agreed with him as to the efficacy of emigration, and public works in connection with the contemplated Poor-law; but they could be considered as subsidiary measures.—( Hear.) Mr. O'CONNELL could no t .ntita 1y concur in the atnene. merit of the Right Hon. Gentleman, simply because he thought it went rather too far. With this restric'ion he var. tainly should have his (M r . O'C onne ll' s ) humble support. The Noble Lord the Secretary for Ireland had made a most eloquent speech, containing a great deal of oratory, but very little political economy. He had given the House a horrible detail of the destitution and death of a widow and her or phans, forgetting that this case did not at all bear on the question before the House. The question was not the re lief of the widow and orphan, but that of the able-bodied labourer. The Noble Lord the Member for Leitrim had truly told them that the line between Irish poverty and desti tution was very faint indeed, and they would only increase that poverty by laying on this additional burthen. The Noble Lord had also remarked the low scale of Irish agricul ture. It appeared that there were fourteen millions of arable acres in Ireland and thirty-two millions in England, and that the proportion of produce was as 44 in England to 23. in Ire land. Would a Poor-law better this ? \Vas there not at this moment sufficient inducement in the interest of the occupier to make his land as productive as possible ?—( Hear, hear.) The reason of the deficient production of Irish land was the defi ciency of capital--( Hear, hear, hear) —and the remedy they proposed for this was, to take away capital to the amount of half a million a year. It was admitted on all hands that this was only an experiment ; if so, it ought to be made as gradually as possible.—( Hear.) His principle was that re cognized in the 43d of Elizabeth; if they acted upon that principle it would at least do little mischief. A measure without out-door relief would be merely a mockery, and if they attempted that kind of relief on a large scale, could any man deny that it would amount to a confiscation of the entire property of the country?—.(Hear.) Mr. P. SCROPE said, in his opinion, a Poor-law was a measure of police, and the absence of a Poor-law froze up the various sources of industry in Ireland. He maintained that the relief of the able-bodied labourer was by far the most im portant part of this Bill. If in any district in Ireland where mendicancy now prevailed a provision for the relief of the destitute was introduced, English capital would soon find its way there, and not only English but Irish, as it was %sell known that at present upwards of a million annually of Irish capital was invested in the English funds, in consequence of the risk of investin g it in trade or agriculture in Ireland If they refused relief to the able-bodied labourer lie must starve, and in twenty-four hours he would be sick as well as destitute, and relief would then be imperative. He (Mr. Scrope) would, however, admit that auxiliaries, such as emi gration and public works, would be absolutely necessary to the efficient working of this Bill.—( Hear.) Sir EDWARD SUG DEN quite agreed with the Hon. and Learned 3/Amber for Dublin, that the principle want of Ireland was capital. She wanted repose and capital, but re pose must be the first procured, and be supported this Bill because lie thnught it was likely to produce the repose which would inevitably lead to the introduction of capital.—( Hear, hear.) It appeared to him that by a Poor-law they merely transferred the burthen of relief from individual charity to the public. He could not but think that a Poor-law would have a great effect in reducing crime in Ireland. It was said that this measure would relieve but a small portion of the destitute, but he believed that if 80,000 were relieved at a time a great number would be relieved in the course of the year. Captain JONES supported the amendment. After a few words from Mr. Ellice, Mr. Wyse, and Mr. Miles, Lord J. RUSSELL opp osed t he amendment. Mr. SHAW replied, a nd the C umat i ttee di v i ded, w h en there appeared— Ayes ........................... Noes Majority against the amendment 59 After a few words from Mr. O'Connell, Lord J. Russell, Mr. Lucas, and Mr. Redington, Mr. BARRON thought that it would be injudicious to limit the Commissioners to take pieces of land fur the purposes of work houses " not exceeding twelve acres," while they bed such extensive power intrusted to them in England. The whole Bill was experimental, and the hands of the Com missioners ought not to be tied in such an important point, to be ascertained by the Commissioners. He therefore moved the abolition of these %Nerds. After a few words from Mr. W. S. O'BRIEN and Mr. POI:LETT 1 7 11014150 N, The Amendment was put and negatived without a division. The Chairman reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. The Common Fields Improvement Bill next went through Committee. The House Adjourned at Half-past Twelve o'clock. Mr. Poulett Thomson will move this evening that the fol lowing Member 3 be nominated for the Combination Commit tee :—The Lord Advocate, Lord Granville Somerset, Mr. O'Connell, Lord Viscount Lowther, Mr. Alderman Cope land, Mr. Hume, Sir Henry Parnell, Mr. Crawfurd, Mr. Milnes, Mr. Dennistoun, Mr. G. F. Young, Mr. Wakley, Mr. Wood, Mr. Young (of Cavan), Mr. Poulett Thomson. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, [B3B. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. (From the Hampshire Telegraph.) PORTSMOUTH, FEB. 17.—The Cornwallis,74, Capt. Sir R Grant, arrived at Halifax on the 10th of January, with the 65th Regiment, 470 strong, besides 40 women and 92 chil dren. She landed them immediately, except the flank Coal panics, which she took, with the 34th Regiment, on the 13th, to St. John's, New Brunswick, from which place the 34th Regiment would proceed in sleighs to Quebec. This regi ment bad been preceded by the 85th, 34th, and the 43d, as well also as by Major Pringle's Company of Royal Artillery ; and so well had the Commissariat Department executed their duty, that Colonel Booth, with his division of the 43d, found no difficulty in completing half the distance on the sixth day after leaving Fredericton. The offer of Sir Richard Grant to convey troops in so large a ship as the Cornwallis, in the d'pth of winter up the Bay of Fundy, was considered by those who understood the naTigation of that part of the world as a very bold undertaking, and could only be warranted by the urgency of the case. The weather had continued very fine for two days after his sailing, when the Alert packet came away. The Alligator, 28, Captain Sir J.' G. Gordon Bremer, sailed on Monday last for Plymouth, for the intended new settlement in the N. W. corner of New South Wales. Vv The President, 52, arrived at and sailed from Madeira on the 17th ult. The Tribune, 24, arrived at Cadiz on the 27th ult. _ _ _ The Hercules, 74, Captain Toup Nicolas, C. 8., tailed cn Saturday from Plymouth to Cork, to embark troops for Ca nada; the Lynx sailed on Sunday from the same port, for the coast of Africa. The Malabar, 74, has this week been commissioned at Ply mouth by Captain Edward Harvey. The Vestal, 28, Captain T. W. Carter, and Calliope, 28, Captain Herbert, were to sail from Sheerness to day for Spithcad. The Partridge, 10, Lieut. Morris, went out of harbour on Tuesday, and endeavoured to get to Sheerness, but she en countered a gale of wind, which threw her on her beam ends; she took in a quantity of water, sufficient to cover the tanks in her hold, and two ,or her guns getting loose she was in much danger and was obliged to return. The Barossa transport arrived in the river Shannon on the 3.1 instant, with the 78th Regiment on board, from Ceylon ; she had a very long passage, and the crew end soldiers had suffered much from had weather and want of provisions; 3.5 persons had died ox board of her. The brig Hopewell, Dixon, master, from Sunderland coal laden, got on the Horse Sand, in running into Spithead, about seven o'clock in the evening of Wednesday, at a time when a wretchedly cold E. S. E. wind threw a considerable sea on that bank, and it was so thick she could not see the Nab light. The vessel soon gave signs of having injured her bottom, and the crew immediately took to their boat, think ing she might go to pieces, and got safely on board the Belle Alliance Indiaman lying at Spithead. Her stern has since broken off, and her decks are blown up ; on the following night the lanthe, Mackenzie, corn laden, from Limerick, touched on the Dean Sand and beat over, but is leaky, and is obliged to come into harbour. At Spithead—Electra. In Harbour—Britannia, Victory, Excellent, Royal George, Apollo, Pantaloon, Partridge, Nautilus, Brisk, Pluto steamer, Diligence naval transport. APPOINTMENTS.—Captain Edward Harvey to the Malabar; Captain Sandom to command the armed flotilla on the lakes of Canada ; Lieutenant Honourable H. A. Murray, to the Modeste ; Lieutenant Montague Hayes to the Cruizer ; Mr. T. R. H. Thompson, Assistant Surgeon, to the Cockatrice, on the South American station, to take passage out in the Calliope; Mr. Kean, Assistant Surgeon, to Haslar hospital; Lieutenant W. Roberts, to be additional Lieutenant, and Mr. J. King, additional Master, to the Victory, for the service of the Dasher, Weymouth packet ; Mr. Thomas H. Keown, Assistant Surgeon, from Britannia, to be Hospital Mate, at Haslar; Mr. William Lambert, Assistant Surgeon, from the Excellent, to the Malabar ; Mr. Robert Macure Sandom, Mate, to the flotilla at Canada ; Mr. George B. Fuller, from the Excellent, to be Clerk-in-charge of the Charybdis; Mr. R. H. Dalton, College Mate, to the Volage ; Mr. W. F. Warren, Mate, to the Vestal ; Mr. Richard bawler, Super numerary Gunner, Mr. George Watts, Supernumerary-boat swain, Mr. William Cook, Supernumerary Carpenter, and Mr. Thomas Price, Supernumerary Cook, to the troop ship, Apollo. The following gentlemen passed their examination in Navi gation on Tuesday last, at the Royal Naval College : Messrs. Alexander Charles Gordon, Robert Macure S an d om, Honourable Spencer Lytteltoa, William Ponsonby J o h nson, Robert Hamilton Dundac, George Marriott, James Ptolemy Thurburn, Alexander M‘Naghten, William Lumsden M‘Ke n _ zie.—Hants Telegraph. (From the Devonport Independent.) Puvatourn, FEB. 17.—The Cutter Hind, 6, Lieut.-Com. Codd, arrived on Thursday evening from the Mediterranean station. She was totally dismasted a short diatance to the westward of this Port. The Brig Savage, 10, Lieut.-Corn. the Hon. E. R. Cur zon, arrived on Monday, from the North Coast of Spain, and came into Barnpool, on Tuesday, to refit. We have received letters from the officers of the Vanguard, 80, Captain Sir Thomas Fellowes, Knt., dated Malta, Jan. 24. No particular news —all well on board. The Calliope, 28, Captain Thomas Herbert, may be ex pected at this Port, from Portsmouth, during the ensuing week. The Brig Espoir, 10, Lieutenant Thomas Paulson, will go out of harbour this day (Saturday.) The Packet Mutine, 10, Lieut.. Corn. Pawle, having had her defects made good, was taken cut of ti , )ck on Friday, and warped alongside the Sheerhulk the same day, to have her masts put on board. The packet Star, Lieut. Christopher Smith, R. N., will sail from Falmouth for the West India Islands, on or about the 3d of March next ; this splendid vessel still remains un rivalled in points of sailing, accommodation, and comfort for passengers. The schooner Bonetta, Lieut. H. P. Deschamps, has cap tured in the Bight of Biafra two slavers, one a Portuguese brigantine with 332 slaves on board, on the 4th, and a schooner under Portuguese colours also, on the 15th Nov., with 313 slaves on board. _ _ . The Talavera, 74, Capt W. B. Mends, is ordered to take troops from Gibraltar to Halifax. The brig Algerine, 10, Lieut. W. S. Thomas, was off Madras on the 10th of October, when one of the men on board, with a boat-hook, hauled up a sea-snake, which was put in a bucket ; one of the marines, in attempting to take it up, or do something with it, received a bite in the hand, and al though the bite from this reptile is generally considered in nocuous, the man was siczed with nausea, and died in two hours after. The Comus, 18, was at Halifax on the 18th of November. The Victor, 18, left Sydney for Madras, September 12 ; the Raleigh, 18, left Madras for Calcutta, November 14. In the Sound.—Alligator and Hind, cutter. In Barnpool—Savage, refitting. In Harbour.—Royal Adelaide, San Josef Lily, Espoir, Britornart, and Mutine. THE COLOSSEUM.—The morning exhibitions of the Colosseum are now exceedingly attractive. Since the commencement of the present month many families of dis tinction have visited this gigantic structure, which, since it has merged into the hands of Mr. Braham, has been renovated and improved by an outlay of some thousand pounds. A new Optical Gallery, which is a recent addition to the many no velties of this place of amusement, will well repay the curious for a visit. The celebrated Panoramic View of the Metro polis, as seen from the top of St. Paul's, the Swiss Cottage, the Waterfalls, the Sculpture Gallery, the Conservatories , &c. &c., are as eagerly sought after as ever. We understand that some novelties are in preparation for E, ger. BILLY BLACK IN PARLIAMENT.—What is the difference between Faux and Vaux ? D'ye give it up? The one wanted to blow up the House of Commons, and the other does blow up the House of Lords. What M. P. best repre sents the present state of the poor? D'ye give it up? The Hon. Member far Southwark, who, by wishing to keep up the coal monopoly, would compel those who have to die with Duke Humphrey, to be starved by Alderman Humphrey. THE NEW LIGHT.—The exhibitions on Thursday and Friday evenings by Mr. Gye, Jun., of the new and beau tiful light which he has made by a certain admixture of oxy gen and hydrogen gases, was very interesting. The power of the flame, which was not an inch in diameter or lieirtiith, is equal to that o f fif ty common g a s-li g ht s . A co py o f' The Sun was placed at the end of the Speaker's old dining-room, at the greatest possible distance from the burner, and the smallest type was read with the greatest ease. Mr. Gye placed the light behind coloured preparations, which had the effect of considerably softening it, but it was acknowledged by all that in beauty and brilliancy it was, " when unadorned adorned the most." Upwards of 100 Members, and many scientific gentlemen, were present on each occasion,—Mr. Hume, Mr. Wakley, Colonel Trench, and Sir George Strick land, took a particular interest in the enquiry, and proposed several questions to Mr. Gye. If it were possible to possess this light without danger, for modern improvements would be of gi eater public advat.tage, but we are afraid it is impossi l - 41 ° , and that this surprising brilliancy is neither more nor less than an amalgamation of gases, which ignorance or inattention might convert into a most deadly " coal damp," the conse quences of which might render Mr. Gye a second Guy Faux. NATIONAL PNEUMATIC RAILWAY ASSOCIATION-SPECIAL MEETING. A Special Meeting of the Shareholders in this Association was held on Thursday the 15th inst., at the British Coffee house, Cuckspur-street, Charing-cross, to receive the Report of a Committee appointed at a General Meeting held in August last, to inqeire into the affairs of the Association. About from fifty to sixty gentlemen were present; and Robert Sutherland, Esq., was unanimously called to the Chair. Mr. JOHN CALDWELL, Secretary to the Committee of In quiry, read the advertisement calling the present meeting, and stated, that circulars had also been sent to the scrip-holders individually. He then read the Resolution by which the Committee had been constituted ; from which it appeared that in consequence of disputes and disagreements between Mr. Henry Pinkus, the Projector of the Associaticn, and the Board of Directors, eight gentlemen had been nominated, at the meeting in August, to investigate the causes of the complaints mutually preferred. Of the eight gentlemen thus nominated, two had refused to act, on the ground of private business; and two more had taken no notice of the application : so that the Report about to be read had been got up by the four that had remained, viz., Mr. Jonathan Sandford, Chairman • Mr. J. Caldwell, Secretary; Dr. Carioll, and Mr. H. G. Dyar. The Report of the Committee was then brought forward. It was of very great length; occupying up wards of two hours in the reading. It commenced by assuring the Shareholders that the Committee had devoted themselves to the arduous duties imposed upon them, for the sole purpose of protecting the rights of the Proprietary, which were said, at the meeting in August, to be postponed to unworthy purposes. It stated that the disagreements be tween the Directors and Mr. Pinkus had been the cause, rather than the effect of the stoppage of the Pneumatic Railway scheme; that Mr. Pinkus himself, and even the Directors, still repose the most unshaken confidence in the system ; that to the opinions of Dr. Lardner and Professor Faraday in its favour, that of Mr. Clegg had recently been added— this last named gentleman having communicated his opinion to the Directors, that not only was the principle correct, but that, if properly managed, the Pneumatic plan would supersede all other Railways. The Report then ad verted to the personal sacrifices which Mr. Pinkus had made to forward the interests of the Shareholders, and stated that that gentleman was even now ready to endow the Shareholders with 50 per cent. of his own property in the line,if the Direc tors would only proceed according to the terms of an agree ment entered into between them on the one side, and Mr. Pinkus on the other. The Report proceeded to state, that previous to the meeting in August last the Directors had been openly charged with improper practices; and that they sought to make the meeting in question a packed one, for the purpose of getting a Committee of Inquiry appointed which might screen the conduct of the Directors ; that, to effect this object, various means had been adopted by the Directors; and that, finding themselves unsuccessful, they had done every thing i n their power to thwart the views of the Committee, by refusing to deliver up the books, &c. ; so that no statement of the accounts of the Association could be laid before the meeting. The Report then passed on to the charges which had been brought against Mr. Pinkus, the projector, by the Board of Directors. These were, in brief, that Mr. Pinkus, had always been toe sanguine in his estimates—that the cost of constructing a line of the Pneumatic Railway would amount to double the sum stated by him ; that Mr. Pinkus would not com plete a certain model and plans of the requisite machinery ; that he had embroiled the Directors, and was himself con stantly quarrelling with the Directors, workmen, &c. In a subsequent part of the Report, these allegations were seve rally denied, especially that which related to the model and plans. A sketch of the fo - mation of the Association was next given, from which it appeared that Mr. Pinkus, having discovered what he considered an improved method of consn ueting a railway, for which ho had taken out patents at a cost of 2,0001„ had entered into communication with Mr. Hoskieg, an architect, for the purpose of forming an association to carrying his views into execution. The Report stated, that Mr. Hosking's motive in entering into this arrangement seemed to be the expectation of procuring em ployment and a suitable salary. A Committee had been formed ; the capital of the Association settled at 200,0001., in 10,000 shares of 20/. each ; 6,000 of these shares had been sold, and a call of 31. paid on each. The 9,0001. thus ob tained had belonged of right to the Projector, according to an agreement entered into at the time, he pledging himself to complete an experimental line. The Projector had, how ever, deferred his claim, receiving only, in part payment, 5001., and scrip-receipts for 3,0001., in order that there might be sufficient funds to complete the experimental line of half a mile, after which an Act of Incorpora tion was to have been applied for. The Report then went at great length into alleged misconduct on the part of the Board generally, but of Mr. Hocking in particular. One charge brought against Mr. Hocking was in reference to his conduct in the affair of the Birmingham, Bristol, and Thames Junction Railway. The Report stated, that an agreement had been entered into between the Pneumatic Association and the Thames Junction Company to construct that line on the Pneu matic principle, and that half a mile of the Railway was to serve as the experimental line of the Association ; that Mr. Hosking, having got himself appointed to an official situation in the Thames Junction scheme, had deluded Mr. Pinkus with promises that the interests of the Pneumatic Association should be guarded carefully, but that Mr. Husking had con trived to drop altogether the Pneumatic principle from the Bill of that undertaking. A great mass of minor charges were preferred against the Directors, such as of neglect ing the works, shutting up the office, and, in short, " doing everything to bring the Association into contempt." The Report stated farther, that the Directors had, some time before the meeting in August, given orders to contract the experimental line to 175 yards, instead of half a mile, on the ground that there were not sufficient funds ; that Mr. Pinkus had refused to submit to this pro position,u on r e d promises f t the credit,r insufficiency fora l long n o g f t t e h r e m d , i f s o t r a n in e a e t ; e r a i a n l d s h ee a c d e p ss r a o r c y ; and would undertake to complete the half mile in three months, but that the Board would not accede to his plans for laying down the length of line originally agreed upon. The Report concluded by stating that nearly three years had elapsed since the Association was formed for carrying into ope ration the practical demonstration of the Pneumatic System, which ought, tinder proper management, to have been accom plished in six months , but which has been retarded by certain private speculations on the part of some of the Directors, and chiefly by unfair transactions on the part of the professional Director. That it is still the opinion —not only of the Direc tors, but of all scientific persons, that they have the fullest conviction of the efficiency of the Pneumatic System, and that it will be found superior to every other mode of transit now in use. That Mr. Pinkus had made the greatest pecuniary and personal sacrifices to promote the interest of the shareholders, of to character, replace h andem , provided by of o but that his efforts wer e thwarted by the Directors, whom th e t consistency s Committee recommended should be removed, an d o th ers c f mor e activity or the shareholders mi g h t not b e made liable for th e predecessors responsibility their had incu rre d. Mr. MORRIS read a le tter , stating that the Di rectors o f severa l oaldanel be nominated firmness railways in b elan d, had ex p re ssed their intention of adopting the conduct,doina they s h pneumatic principle, as soon as its success should have been demonstrated on an experimental Hear, hear.) It was then proposed, seconded, and carried unanimously, that the Report of the Committee just read be adopted, and that every shareholder be entitled to a copy. A vote of thanks was carried unanimously to the Committee of Inquiry, and to the Secretary of that Committee in parti cular, for their attention to the affairs of the Association dur ing a laborious investigation; also, amid much applause, a vote of thanks to Mr. Pinkus, for his generosity, ability, and perseverance, in promoting the interests of the shareholders, under the very trying circumstances in which he had been placed by the Directors. Mr. PINKUS, in returning thanks, remarked, that his object in forming the Association had been more for the purpose of forwarding a work of science than for pecuniary profit— ( Hear, hear) —that the Directors had caused much time to be wasted ; that their conduct in not bringing the shares of the Association into the market in the usual way had prevented the raising of the necessary funds ; that he should look, not to the shareholders, but to the Directors ; and in fact, it was his deter mination to commence legal proceedings against them. Ho ob served, that he should still labour to carry his principle into effect, and that although the British patents were the property of the Association, and might therefore be affected by the proceed ings of the Directors, he, Mr. Pinkus, should take means to carry his plans into effect in England, so as to apply them to other countries, the patents for which were exclusively his own. Mr. Pinkus concluded by stating, that should the —ROApplause.oK ROOKS affair stop alto ge th er , t h e s h areholders should not lose by h i m.( mr. d and Mr. CLAYTON seconded a motion which was carried unanimously, to the effect that the four gentlemen who had constituted the Committee of Inquiry, be reorganised as a Committee, with power to add to their number, to watch over the property of the Association, com municate with the Directors, and co-operate with the projector. A resolution was also passed, that a letter be written by the Chairman in behalf of the meeting, calling upon the par ties who held property belonging to the Association not to part with it, without the authority of the Shareholders and Directors in public meeting convened. The resolution, it was explained, was to prevent the Directors from selling the ma chinery, rails, &c., as they have given notice they intend to do. Resolutions were also passed, authorising the Committee to call upon the Directors for the production of books, accounts, SLC-, &c , to pay a suitable remuneration to the clerk of the Committee; also that, although three Directors form a quorum, this number shall not in future be at liberty to re scind the decisions of a larger number. The Chairman having vacated his seat, a vote of thanks was unanimously carried for his able conduct in the chair, which having been briefly acknowledged, the meeting separated. The proceedings occupied nearly five hours. Viscount and Viscountess Beresford's grand enter tainment to her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester to-morrow evening will be the most elegant re-union of the beau mo n d e t hi s season, and will include the elite of the fashionable world. The invitations are not very numerous, but select. The Russian Ambassador, on Friday next, at Ash burnham House, will give a banquet of great splendour to the Duke of Wellington, the Marquis of Salisbury, Lord Stuart de Rothsay, and other personages of high note; and the Countess Pozzo di Borg() will afterwards hold her first soiree for the season. It is rumoured that a marriage is on the tapis be tween the daughter of a Noble Duke, possessing the most elegant seat in Gloucestershire, and a private gentleman of great wealth. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, TATTERSALL'S-YEJFDILDA r. The Derby betting took rather a wider range than usual ; but was not productive of many changes. The chief feature of the afternoon business was the advance of the (so oft-repeated lame) Cobweb colt, who, wittiout being backed, passed his north country rival, and left off first favourite ; the odds were taken about the other to a couple of hundred pounds, and to half that sum about D'Egville; but we did not hear anything done about Grey Momus that is worth recording. lon gave way a point, and Young Row ton was so little in fa: , our that, had any one been inclined to lay out a trifle, we have no doubt 20 to 1 might have been procured. The Early Bird was in some favour, and several bets were made about outside favourites ; a few engagements for small sums were also made on the Oaks, without effecting any alteration. A to lerably brisk afternoon closed at a later hour than usual as follows : THE RIDDLESWORTH. Even between Cobweb and the field, the colt having the call. THE DERV!. 9 to 1 agst Lord Jersey's Cobweb colt—offered 10 to 1 agst Mr. Armitage's Nonplus colt—taken 10 to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinek's Grey Alomus—offered 13 to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinck's D'Egville—taken and after wards offered 17 to 1 agst Colonel Peel's lan—take 18 to 1 17 to I agst Mr. Bland's Young Rowton--offered 18 to 1 agst Mr. E. Peel's The Early Bird—taken 1000 to 45 agst Mr. Coombes's Cobham—taken 25 to 1 agst Lord Suffield's Bamboo—taken and afterwards offered 25 to 1 agst Mr. Worrall's Dormouse—offered 30 to 1 agst Mr. Richardson's Monc Adam—taken to 150 30 to 1 agst Sir J. Mills's Volunteer—offered 45 to 1 agst Mr. Ford's Quo Minus--offered 50 to 1 agst Mr. J. Smith's Cracker—taken 50 to 1 agst Lord`Chesterfield's Tranby's dam colt—taken 50 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's Bretby—taken 1000 to 14 agst Gen. Grosvenor's Dwdalus (Icaria) colt—taken 1000 to 10 agst Mr. Bowes's Gonfalon—taken 4000 to 40 agst Lord Wilton's Davie Gellatley—taken 4000 to 40 agst Mr. Tarleton's Blaise—taken 1000 to 10 agst Sir G. lleathcote's Amata—taken 2500 to 20 agst Mr. Lambden's Dromedary—taken 25 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Lot (taken and afterwards offered); 600 to 400 on Cobweb agst D'Egville, and the same on Nonplus agst dim (taken) ; 825 to 100 laid twice agst lon and the Early Bird conjointly ; 275 to 200 on D'Egville agst Early Bird (taken); 450 to 25 betted agst Cobweb winning Riddlesworth, 2,000 Guineas' Stakes, and Derby. THE OAKS. to 1 agst Lord Suffield's Callisto—taken to 100 9 to 1 agst Duke of Grafton's Unique—offered 12 to 1 agst Lord Jersey's Glenara—taken 13 to 1 agst Lord Burners' filly—taken 16 to 1 agst Lord Chesterfield's f. out of Rowton's d.—taken 16 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Romania—taken 30 to 1 agst Lord Exeter's Kirtle—taken LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, FEB. 19. JACKSON AND ANOTHER V. GALLOWAY. This was au action to recover demurrage under a charter party, and also damages for the detention of a vessel beyond a certain time at various ports. The plaintiffs were owners of a vessel balled the City of Rochester, and the defendant was the charterer and freighter upon the voyage in question. The cause occupied the Court the whole day, and after the summing up of the Learned Judge the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff—Damages 1701. COURT OF EXCHEQUER, FEB. 19. TAYLOR V. PARSONS. Mr. Platt, for the plaintiff, stated that this was an action upon a bill of exchange drawn by one Padmore, alleged to be accepted by the defendant and indorsed by Padmore to the plaintiff. The plaintiff was a lady of some property, and had advanced money upon the bill for the accommodation of Padmore. The bill had been drawn on the 12th of April, 1834, and had become due on the 14th of June in the same year. _ The jury, after hearing evidence, found a verdict for the defendant. There was a foolish rumour yesterday in the City, as will be seen from our City intelligence, that Lord John Russell bad tendered his resignation to her Majesty, in con sequence of the strong minority which voted against him upon the Ballot question ; but the rumour is utterly devoid of foundation. Lord John Russell has, according to the infor mation which we have received, never even dreamed of ten dering his resignation. it is at the same time quite clear and undoubted that Lord John Russell must either think diffe rently of the Ballot in the course of the next twelve months, or resign his seat in the Cabinet. The question cannot be again treated as it was upon the last division. —Morning Advertiser. The Duke of Sutherland's dinner party on Friday, at Stafford House, was given to their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Miss Kerr, Duchess Countess of Sutherland, Earl and Countess of Surrey, Lord and Lady Francis Egerton, Lord and Lady Eliot, Lord Stuart de Rothsay, and the Duke of Wellington. There was also an evening party. THE DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE.—(Extract of a letter from Chatsworth. )—" His Grace, during the whole of the inclement season has enjoyed excellent health, and has daily visited, in his sledge, every cottage and hovel for many miles around, not unfrequently making a detour of thirty miles in search of distressed objects ; and, on his return home, despatching clothing and food. For the last six weeks the weekly allowance to every family has been fourteen pounds of beef and eleven pounds of bread. No talk of his Grace's visit to London." Sir Robert Peel's first grand Parliamentary dinner, on Saturday evening, was attended by the Marquis of Chan dos, Lord Darlington, Lord Granville Somerset, Sir Ed ward Sugden, Lord Henniker, Sir Edward Knatchbull, Mr. Jackson, &c. THE MARQUIS AND MARCHIONESS OF SALIS BURY'S GRAND PARTY.—The above Noble Marquis and his MarchioneSs gave a !grand dinner on Saturday evening, at their elegant new residence in Arlington-street. After din ner the splendid salons were thrown open for the reception of company, which included the Duke of Wellington, Duke and Duchess of Sutherland, Duke and Duchess of Montrose, Mar quis27of Douro, Marquis of Granby, Prince and Princess Soutzo, Marquis of Lansdowne, Viscount Villiers, Earl of Aberdeen, Russian Ambassador, Count and Countess Pozo di Borgo, Count Pollen, Count and Countess Sebastiani, Vis count and Viscountess Beresford, Lady Cowley, Lord and Lady Francis Egerton, Marquis of Anglesey, Lord A. Paget, Lord and Lady Elliot, Mr. Parnther, Baron and Baroness de Cetto, Earl and Countess Cadogan, Earl and Countess of Tankerville, Lord Ashburton, Sir Robert Peel, Sir Henry and Lady Emily Hardingc, Viscount and Viscountess Syd ney, Earl and Countess of Cawdor, Earl of Chesterfield, Hon. H. Liddell, Marquis of Chandos, Sir Francis Burdett, Sir Robert Gordon, Lord and Lady Fitzroy Somerset, Lord El lcnborough, Lord Hill, Hon. Fred. Shaw, Earl and Coun tess of Haddington, Earl Durham, Earl Stanhope, Lord and Lady Mahon, Earl and Countess of Harrowby, Lord Gran ville Somerset, Lord Sandon, Lord Eastnor, Hon. S. Herbert, Count Bille Brahe, Duke de Regina, Baron Mun chausen, &c. _ _ In the petition presented on Friday by Mr. Thornely, signed by upwards of 5,000 merchants, bankers, and other inhabitants of Liverpool, praying for the vote by Ballot, one of the allegations of the petitions is as follows : " That in this borough, at the last Parliamentary election, more than two thousand pervons, whose names were upon the register for that year, did not vote ; and your petitioners firmly believe that this circumstance mainly arose from the fear of the consequences that would have followed such voting upon that occasion." It is obvious that in so hot a canvass (there were four candidates in the field) no elector would be over looked; and the inference is, that the 2,000 who did not vote dared not exercise their right. HANDLOOM WEAVERS.—We hare at present a Board of Trade ; might we not more usefully have a Board of Industry, whose duty should be to assist any class of arti sans who may happen to be thrown out of employment in favour of steam power ? Granting the introduction of the power-loom has enriched this country by many millions, is it right that no steps should be taken to prevent the handloom weavers from being made martyrs to the public good ? The only obstacle to any scheme of this kind being carried into execution, is that the working classes have no weight in the Legislature. There is a Corn Law interest in Parliament, which, by laws of its own making, causes the poor man to pay one shilling for the sixpenny loaf. There is a West India interest in Parliament, which was strong enough to take 20,000,0001. of the public money for committing the most in human crimes under a different name than they did before. But there is no Handloom Weavers' interest, no Working man's interest in Parliament ; nor will there ever be till the people get the franchise.—Belton Free Press. ADELPHI THEATRE.—Last night the Ili* Brigade, a laughable little piece, was produced at this theatre. Mr. Doddleton (Yates), a whimsical gentleman, has just been married to Emma (Miss A. Taylor), a sweet young girl, who happens to have a cousin, Captain Nugent, of the rifle brigade (0. Smith) on furlough. The Captain pays a isit to his lovely cousin, whom he has not seen since her marriage. Doddleton is made aware of the visit, and be comes desperately jealous. Mrs. Major Masterman, an en terprising lady, an agitator, and also a young rifle (Mrs. Nisbett), like a rattling soldier's wife, tells Mrs. Doddleton, her friend, that she ought to cure her husband's foolish jealousy ; for which purpose Mrs. 'Westerman equips her self in the undress uniform of a Captain of the Rifles. The servants hint to Doddleton that something dreadful is going on ; he is frantic with love, jealousy, and doubt ; pretends to go to his Club, but resolves soon to return home to surprise the guilty pair. His picture has just been finished—nay, yet stands on the easel ; he takes it out, and thrusts his head and bust into the frame—the allusion is per fect, and the change is not apparent to the pseudo Captain and Mrs. Doddleton, who, however, are aware that the jea lous Doddleton has placed himself in that posture as a spy ; in an instant the parties appear, the lady wrapped in a cloak, and the officer bearing sundry band-boxes, &c., necessary fur his fair companion in flight. Doddleton, perfectly enraged, sees all this, and much more going on und er hi s no s e ; h e de mands instant satisfaction, and runs for pistols. In his absence the assumed Captain flies to the chamber where Mrs. Doddl?- ton has taken refuge, there to laugh at the success of the scheme. Meantime the real Si mon P ure, C apta i n N ugent, himself arrives, and a great deal of funny explanation and equivoque . takes place, finally ending with the reconciliation of all parties. Mr. Y.ates was very clever as Doddleton, and Mrs. Nisbett must have been bewitchingly sweet to all the young ladies in the house as the young Captain. 0. Smith's tipsy Captain was perfect. The piece was most favourably received. THE SNOW STORM.-EXETER, FRIDAY AFTER- NooN.—Our county has been visited with the severest snow storm that has been remembered, except that of 1814, which, indeed, it is said to exceed in duration. It is now Frk'ay afternoon, and with few intervals it has been snowing ever since Wednesday night. The fall has been accompanied with a stiff breeze, amounting at times to a piercing gale, from the eastward, and the drift in the open country places is tremen dous. The keenness of the wind and the blinding effects of the snow have made travelling scarcely possible. Few, but very few, villages to the westward can they get a cut, and horse and the turnpike roads have been in several places com pletely blocked. No one has ventured out but these compelled by stern necessity. Yesterday afternoon and evering the ap pearance of the streets was lone and melancholy in the ex treme. The shops were lighted as usual, but the d ors were closely barred against the elements. Customers there were none, either to receive or refuse. The exposed partions of the win dows and doorways were covered with the drift. Tne snow, as fine as the desert sand, penetrated the very crevices of the windows, and imparted a chilliness even in the presence of a "sea coal" fire. Our market was completely deserted to day, and those were fortunate whose domestic economy had stored their larders beforehand. The Plymouth mail arrived this morning at half-past ten instead of eleven last night. It was stopped at Haldon, and returned to Chudleigh to sleep. In some parts of the road the snow has drifted to the height of thirty feet. They have, however, cleared a passage for the coaches, but not without immense labour. The Falmouth mail and Regulator coaches, due Thursday', have not yet ar rived, supposed to be blocked between Launceston and Bod min. The whole of the London, Bath, and Bristol coaches have kept their time except the Herald, which was to come over the Dorset Downs. The loss in sheep, tee., is antici pated to be very great.— Western Times. Yesterday, as Mr. F. Strickland, of Bond -street, was returning from Highgate, he saw a poor girl, named Caroline Jones, struggling in the canal at Kentish -town, where she had been sent for water; he instantly gave an alarm and proceeded to the spot, and with the assistance of a young man who heard the call, succeeded in conveying her, apparently dead, to a public house, where she soon reeoveree. Sir John Tyrrell had so far recovered from his late accident as to be enabled to attend upon the bench yesterday. The worthy Baronet, however, was compelled to make use of crutches. Chelm§ford Chronicle. The members of the Oxford and Cambridge Uni versity Club intend to open their splendid new Club-house, in Pall-mall, with a conversazione on the 24th inst. Lord Erroll, Lords Frederick and Adolphus Fitz clarence, Lord Alfred Paget, and Captain Cosby, will leave town this morning, for Aylesbury, where they will meet her Majesty's stag hounds. The party, and other members of the Royal Hunt, will, after the day's sport, dine together at the White Hart Hotel, at Aylesbury; the Noble Master of the buckhounds, Lord Erroll, in the chair. DREADFUL ACCIDENT BY FIRE.---OR Saturday morning, between eight and nine o'clock, two children, the one eight and the other five years of age, belonging. to poor parents, named Marshall, li v i ng at N o. 9, N oel -street, Soho, were playing with the fire, during the temporary absence of their mother,and set fire to their clothes. They were so dreadfully burned before the flames could be extinguished, that neither of them is expected to surrwc. FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE ICE.-0a Saturday morning, between nino and ten o'clock, a young gentlfman, named Fish, living at No. 14, Princes-street, Pimlico, fell down while sliding on the Pimlico Canal, and so severely fractured his skull, that lie expired in about twenty minutes afterwards. SNOW STORM.—We were visited during Friday night and Saturday morning with a very heavy fall of snow, so much so, that in some places, where it had drifted, it was between two and three feet deep. None of the mails reached the Post-office until after the usual hour on Saturday morning. The coachmen of the short stages felt likewise the inconve nience of the heaviness of the roads, by being prevented from reaching their destination at the accustomed time. The ve getable gardeners experienced also the greatest difficulties in Cringing their various commodities to the London ma: ket in time for sale. CIIOBHAM, FEB. 16.--An alarming fire broke out about nine o'clock on Thursday evening week, on the pre mises in the occupation o!' Mr. Henry Edmeads, farmer, Chob ham, which destroyed the barn, stable, cow-stall, granary, lewins, &c., together with other contents, consisting of bar ley in sacks, wheat, hay, straw, waggon, carts, and agricul tural implements. The live stock was providentially saved, and also three ricks of hay and straw, and likewise the dwel ling-house. Had the wind been in a contrary direction, the whole must have fallen a prey to the flames ; and had it broke out half an hour later, no doubt the live-stock (which was valuable) would have been burnt. There is no doubt it was the act of an incendiary, and no cause can be assigned for the diabolical act, as Mr. Edmeads is much respected in the neighbourhood, and remarkable for his kindness to the poor. The premises were the property of Mr. Ja:ncs Fladgate, and insured, as was the stock. The loss is estimated at about 2501. The inhabitants of Citobham have generously come forward and raised a subscription of 100 guineas as a reward to any persoa giving such information as may convict the vile incendiary or incendiaries.-IVindsor Exiress. BURSTING OF A STEAM•BOILER.—SEVERAL PERSONS INJURED.—About half-past nine o'clock on Thurs day, one of the rt ‘am-engine boilers, propelling the ma chinery of a mill in Newbridge-lane, Stockport, in the occu pation of Messrs. Fernley and Wilsons, burst with a tre mendous explosion, carrying with it the roof of the house, driving in the windows of the card, throstle,. and blow ing rooms opposite, and damaging and forcing the walls and machinery of the mill in all directions. The gable end is about ten yards from the boiler; yet such was the force of the concussion that a carding-engine, weighing upiiards of half a ton, was driven to the other end of the room, and in its course breaking down nearly all the machinery. Burning embers fell amongst and fired a quantity of cotton in the blowing-room ; but any extension of the fl.,mes was quickly prevented, and without the aid of the engines, eh] ough they were immediately on the spot after the alarm of fire had been given. The principal portion of the windows, even cn the other side of the mill, were broken and shattered to pieces. All the machinery was at work, and many of the wotkpeople have been more or less scalded and injured by the instant ant ous collision of the machinery. The engineer, who was sup posed to be near the boiler when the accident happened, is very seriously scalded. The cause of the explosion has not transpired.—Macclesfield Courier. NON-ATTENDANCE OF ALDERMEN.-A court of compensation was appointed to be held a few days since at the Town-hall, to award compensation to Mr. Leary, of the White Swan, Joiner's-street, the Greenwich Railway having destroyed the trade on his premises. Mr. Sergeant Arabin, with the Counsel and Jury, were in attendance at eleven o'clock, but as no business could be transacted without the presence of two aldermen, and not one attending, an cfficlr was dispatched to various parts to find two, but without success. After waiting two hours, Mr. Valiance offered to go into the City and kidnap two aldermen if possible, but he returned without having succeeded. The consequence was that no court was formed ; and as the expenses of the day amottatcd to 150/., it is s'id to be the intention of the parties to proceed ag,ainit those aldermen who wina sum moned to attend for the penalty of 501., which they have each incurred. INTERESTING AND VALUABLE WORKS.- Mr. Colburn, of Great Marlborough-street, has ju=t pub lished the following New Works :-1. South America and the Pacific, comprising a Journey across the Pampas and the Andes, &c., with Plans and Statements for establishing Steam Navigation on the Pacific, by the Hon. P. Campbell Scarlet, 2 vols., post Bvo., with illustrations. 2. Diary of the Times of George IV., with numerous Letters of Queen Caroline, and other Royal or distinguished persons, 2 yols., Bvo. 3. The Autobiography of Joseph Holt, General of the Irish Rebels in 1798, edited from his original M. S., by T. Crofton Croker, Esq., 2 vols., Bvo., with Portrait. 4. The Duchess of Marlborough's Private Correspondence, illustrative of the Reign of Queen Anne, with her Sketches and Opinions of her contemporaries, 2 vols., Bvo., with Per traits. 5. The City of the Sultan; or, Domestic Life in Turkey, by Miss Pardoe, new edition, in 3 vols., small Bvo., with numerous illustrations. And 6. The First Part, price 7s. 6d. (to be completed in six Monthly Parts), of Mrs. Jameson's " Memoirs of the Beauties of the Court of Charles II.," new edition, with additions, illustrated by a Series of 21 splendid Portraits, engraved by the most distinguished artists. THE NEW HISTORICAL ROMANCR.—" In " Royston Gower," observes the Literary Gazette, Mr. Miller has produced an extraordinary work. The scene is laid near Sherwood Forest, and in the reign of King John. The chief characters arc Royston Gower, an old crusader, the King and his haughty Norman Barons, the Priests of New stead, Saxons of high blood, lovely damsels, Robin Hood and his merry men, and a number of other romantic agents. The meeting of King John and Langton, the account of the .Royal Chase, the archery practice in the Forest, the trial in the Court of Eyre, and all the melees of these turbulent spirits aro amongst the most striking events; but the who!e work is a vivid picture of a memorable period, arid must place the au thor's name very high in the list of writers in this class of literature." SHOCKING OCCURRENCE.—Last night an Inquest was held at the Board room of St. Thomas's Hospital, be fore Mr. Payne, the City Coroner, and a respectable Jury, on view of the body of Monsieur Lewis Delcmere, aged 73, a native of France, and a merchant and distiller, whose death was occasioned by scalds whilst performing a chemical operation, under circumstances of a very shocking and af flicting nature. In addition to the melancholy death of the deceased, another young man, who was in the deceased's em ploy, was so severely scalded that he at present lies in the London Hospital with but slight hopes of recovery. It ap peared, from the evidence, that the deceased resided in Mount-street, Whitechapel, and had extensive warehouses in Houndsditch. On Friday se'nnight the deceased was . en gaged in the latter place with some of his men in preparing some acids in the process of sugar baking. The 1 iquid was contained in a large vat, which exploded, driving the lid off, and a quantity of the liquor flowing over, the deceased and his foreman were frightfully scalded ; the former was con veyed to the above ho - ipital, where he lingered in groat agony until Saturday last, when death put an end to his sufferings. The Jury returned a verdict of " Accidental Death." On the Coroner making out the warrant for the deceased's bu rial, the widow objected to receive the same, stating that it was her intention to deliver up the body of her deceased bus bond for dis-ection as teneficial to his fellow-beings. The Coroner and Jury expressed great disgust at such a declara tion, and the former requested the beadle to see that the rites of burial should be performed over the remains of the unfor tunate deceased. The distress of the poor in Liverpool is awful ; gaunt famine stalks abroad, and is doing its deadly work.